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News - I read earlier today that there were two more attacks on Marinka. No word of casualties as of yet.

Weather - A pleasant day. About 24, some sun, some cloud, light wind. A lot of cars on the road today. i don't know why. Normally people travel later to their dachas, the countryside, for the weekend.

Nelson

Moderator/Editor

Posts : 6613Join date : 2015-05-29

on Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:01 am

12:54At ATO they say there were no fatalities during the last day (out loud)http://vgolos.com.ua/news/u_shtabi_ato_zayavlyayut_pro_vidsutnist_zagyblyh_za_mynulu_dobu_183685.htmlDuring the last 24 hours in the area conducting ATO there were no losses among the Ukrainian military.About it at a news briefing, the spokesman of the presidential administration on ATO Andriy Lysenko."During the last 24 hours as a result of combat fatalities among servicemen there, only 1 was wounded in the area around Avdiivka, said Lysenko.

12:56"The popular front" protesting, left the [Rada] hall (Сегодня.ua)http://www.segodnya.ua/politics/pnews/narodnyy-front-demonstrativno-pokinul-zal-rady-625128.htmlParliament was unable to include in the agenda of a number of legislative initiatives factionThe Verkhovna Rada has finished ahead of the enactment of laws after failed to include a number of initiatives on the agenda.A fraction of the "people's front" demonstratively left the Hall. This was announced from the rostrum NF mp Sergey Pashinsky.

Last edited by Nelson on Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:18 am; edited 1 time in total

Nelson

Moderator/Editor

Posts : 6613Join date : 2015-05-29

on Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:10 am

13:43A new rally against war in Donetsk: people driven off by automatics(apostrophe)http://apostrophe.com.ua/news/society/2015-06-19/novyiy-miting-protiv-voynyi-v-donetske-lyudey-otognali-avtomatchiki/27314In occupied Donetsk again rally against war in the Donbass region under the walls of the regional administration building where captured militants DNI..."Under the OSA, rallying again chanting" Zakharchenko "entry blocked by armed men, people sort of moved to the door, pushed them," write the locals.[Shaun Walker's "DNR guys" making sure there is no democracy or free speech in the Donbass. It's really like Russia now. paradise for Shamus Milne.]

14:16In Ukraine reduced support for joining NATO- poll (case)http://delo.ua/ukraine/v-ukraine-snizhaetsja-podderzhka-vstuplenija-v-nato-socopros-298708/The higher the level of education and income of respondents, and the younger their age, the higher among them support for Ukraine's accession to the European Union and NATOIf the referendum on Ukraine joining NATO, 40% would have voted in favour, 32% against 11% would not vote, while 17 percent are undecided. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the sociological group Rating.Starting in November 2014, when the peak was recorded support joining NATO (51%), fixed number of gradual reduction Alliance supporters: up to 46% in April 2015, and up to 40% in June. While there has been an increase in the number of opponents of Ukraine's accession to NATO (25 to 32%).Support the entry into the North Atlantic Alliance are ready to 70% of the inhabitants of the West and about half of the center of Ukraine. About 50% of the inhabitants of the East and the South, they would have voted against."The higher the level of education and income of respondents, and the younger their age, the higher among them support for Ukraine's accession to the European Union and NATO," noted sociologists.The level of support for Euro-Atlantic integration [was higher] among men than among women, especially with regard to joining NATO.Among the respondents, for whom the native language is Ukrainian, the level of support for EU and NATO membership almost three times higher than among respondents whose mother tongue is Russian.

[So, the more intelligent you are, and the younger you are, the more likely you are to support Nato and the EU. The old babushkis don't want any change. But this is fairly normal in any society. ]

As the VIPs arrived this week at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia’s answer to Davos, it was almost as if the past 18 months had never happened.

Western chief executives, no longer warned to stay away from the event by the US state department, and former foreign leaders descended on St Petersburg this week for three days of meetings, parties and an address by President Vladimir Putin. Russia’s richest men quaffed champagne in the company of Tony Blair, Gerhard Schröder and Peter Mandelson. Carla Bruni crooned for the crowds.......................

After hostilities in the east of Ukraine were resumed last month, the village of Shyrokyne near Mariupol, the Donetsk region, was completely ruined.

As reported by Censor.NET, Shyrokyne used to be a small resort village at the Azov sea coast. It was shelled from large-caliber weapons and mortars by the separatists many times. Residents fled the village before the cease-fire in February, and looks like they have nowhere to return to.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic has criticized the Russian authorities for violation of freedom of speech in annexed Crimea in her regular report.

The report was published at the OSCE website on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported

"As the Russian Federation is, in effect, exercising control of Crimea, in my letter I brought to the Deputy Minister's [of Foreign Affairs Aleksei Meshkov] attention the disturbing crackdown on independent and critical voices on the peninsula, including the threats, assaults, illegal interrogations and raids on certain media outlets and journalists and bloggers. I also stressed that the Crimean Tatar media has been especially affected and forced to cease their activities due to the repeated denials of official registration, a requirement imposed by Russian media law," Mijatovic wrote...............

The economic and humanitarian situation in the Donbas is truly terrible. Under normal circumstances, both the displaced persons in Ukraine and the impoverished population in the Donbas would be major international concerns of humanitarian assistance. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. The continued fighting is too intense and the legal issues too unclear.

The war in the Donbas is imposing large costs on Ukraine. According to Ukraine's leading investment bank Dragon Capital, in October 2014 the occupied territories in the Donbas accounted for 2.6 percent of Ukraine's territory, 7.3 percent of the population, 10 percent of GDP, and 15 percent of industrial production. This output has declined by roughly two-thirds, explaining two-thirds of Ukraine's decline in GDP in 2014. What will happen to the Donbas economy if the Minsk II ceasefire agreement collapses?

On June 4, Heidi Tagliavini, the Swiss ambassador who has mediated the Donbas conflict, resigned as special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Although without drama, her resignation was widely seen as the end of the Minsk negotiation process.

The first Minsk agreements were concluded on September 5 and 19, and the second Minsk agreement on February 12. Formally, they were ceasefire agreements between three parties—Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE, but also signed by representatives of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LNR). Russia is not mentioned in the text, though there is a reference to "foreign troops" that Ukraine understands as Russian troops.

Neither ceasefire took hold, although fighting abated for some time. Both sides blame one another for violating the ceasefire, but since the frontline has moved slowly but persistently westward, it is all too obvious who has mainly violated the ceasefire.

The war in the Donbas has seen three major battles—the massacre of Ukrainian soldiers at Ilovaisk in August 2014, the protracted battle over the Donetsk Airport in fall 2014, and the battle over Debaltseve in February. On all three occasions, Ukraine lost and claims that regular Russian troops played a decisive role.

The economic and humanitarian situation in the Donbas is truly terrible. Observers in the Donbas report that a dozen of competing gangs control the territory. This year, two commanders, Alexander Bednov better known as Batman and Alexey Mozgovoy, were killed in a professional fashion by unknown culprits.

The Donbas is a rustbelt of old mines, steel mills, and chemical factories. Almost all the coal mines and chemical factories are inactive; Yenakievo Iron and Steel Works has slowed its production and Alchevsk has closed. The rebels have blown up railway bridges, complicating bulk transportation.................

Use of new Russian spyplane gives rise to fears it may be part of the planning for a widening of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

By David Cenciotti:

Built by the Kazan Aircraft Production Association’s (KAPO) and flown from the company’s airfield, the Tu-214R registered RA-64514, serial number 42305014, is the second of the two examples of this kind of aircraft built under contract with Russia’s Ministry of Defense.

The Tu-214R is a Russian ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft................

ATO Press Center informs that Russian terrorists move to the active use of artillery tactics.

“The situation in the ATO area is difficult, but controlled by Ukrainian forces. There are signs of deterioration of the situation because illegal pro-Russian armed gangs intensified shelling at the positions of Ukrainian troops during the last week and was detected intensification of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of enemy across the boundary line,” reported Deputy Chief of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Serhiy Halushko during a press conference.

Only for the last day were recorded 79 violations of the ceasefire by Russia-backed militants, including 76 attacks and 3 military clashes. The enemy seeks weak spots in Ukrainian defense, trying to wear down Ukrainian servicemen and to provoke the response, then to blame the Ukrainian side in violation of the Minsk agreements.

“According to our information, military leadership of ‘LPR’ ordered its units and detachments to lift restrictions on use of heavy weapons. It is known that the terrorists have planned additional deployment of artillery units at the demarcation line. Given possible increase in losses in case of resumed combat activities near Horlivka, the leadership of illegal armed gangs ordered to enhance medical care system and increase the number of beds in hospitals and sanatoria,” announced Deputy Chief of the ATO.During the briefing Serhiy Halushko has demonstrated next irrefutable evidence of the Kremlin’s involvement in the conflict in Donbas – the weapon of Russian Oboronprom. The new trophy – a Kalashnykov gun with serial number LN 483, which was manufactured in Russia and is in service with the Russian army. According to the military, the weapon got on the occupied territory of Ukraine, about six months ago. Each unit trophy weapons is counted and sent to a special warehouse....................

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the crisis in Ukraine there was a desire to change the West's "universe".

According to an UNIAN correspondent in Russia, as he said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"As events in Ukraine we said many times ... but we're talking about what has happened, but never say why it happened. Why have we reached this crisis in Ukraine. I am deeply convinced that after the so-called bipolar system ceased to exist, after disappeared from the political map of the Soviet Union, some of our partners in the West, especially the US, were in a state of euphoria and instead build a new situation neighborly and partnerships began to develop new, as they seemed to loose geopolitical space, "- said Putin.

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Russian-backed militants have fired on residential areas of the town of Maryinka, as a result of which one woman was injured, the press service of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine in Donetsk region has told an UNIAN correspondent.

"As a result of the night shelling of the town of Maryinka, a 38-year-old woman was injured. She was hospitalized with multiple shrapnel wounds," the report says.

The reports of casualties and damage from the militant attack are being verified, according to the Interior Ministry.

Annexed the Crimea became one of the most expensive regions of the Federal Treasury of the Russian Federation, 80% of its budget is filled with Moscow, the economic indicators decreased significantly.

"Transfers from the federal treasury account for 80% of the budget of the Crimea, which is comparable only with Ingushetia (87%) and Chechnya (82%), and considering that the Crimea remained all VAT in 2014, the level of subsidization close to 85%", - inform "News" data of the regional program director of the Independent Institute for Social Policy Natalya Zubarevich.

According to the newspaper, the number of tourists in Crimea fell compared to the year 2013 from 5.9 million to 4.1 million. A number of small and medium-sized businesses was reduced in comparison with 2013 year by 5.6 times.

This was due to the re-registration, as well as the departure of the enterprises of the Crimea into the shadows because of the more stringent tax field.

In Donetsk, the gunmen dispersed the activists gathered for a rally demanding to stop the shelling of the village of Oktyabrsky, according to "The Island"

Protesters gathered in Donetsk in front of the so-called "government."

"Under the State Administration again rally, chanting" Zakharchenko "input block armed orcs, like the people went to the door, they are driven off," - writes the media with reference to the testimony of local residents.

Recall, June 18, activists also rallied under the RSA attacks against the village of Oktyabrsky, which is again under attack.

As previously reported, June 15 villagers Oktyabrsky Donetsk demanded an end to attacks on a rally in front of the Donetsk Regional State Administration.

Immediately after the protest leader of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" Alexander Zakharchenko announced his intention to "government" to ban demonstrations civilians.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia has an impact on terrorism republic in eastern Ukraine.

"The impact we have on them, of course. They are to some extent depend on us - to take just one humanitarian aid, which, apart from us, in such amounts no one else there will not deliver. And, of course, they depend on us in political terms, "- said Lavrov in an interview with RBC TV.

According to him, the Kremlin's influence in the so-called "DNR" and "LC" is not 100%.

Lavrov added that "we do not have the moral right to dictate any action and steps."

Prosecutor General of Ukraine did not cause for questioning the head of the Constitutional Court George Baulina. He said this at a briefing today.

"Do not cause" - said Baulin.

He also noted that he did not know what there is evidence against him.

Recall, Valentin Nalyvaychenko, is still in the position of head of the Security Service of Ukraine appealed to the General Prosecutor's Office to ensure that the chairman of the Constitutional Court Jury Baulin was announced on suspicion of abuse of power.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko fired three vice-chairmen of the Security Service of Ukraine and Head of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine. The relevant decrees were published on the website of the President.

"The president dismissed from his post of first deputy chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine Yuriy Artyuhova, deputy chairman of the SBU Vitaly Gypsy and Victor Jagun and Chief of the Investigation Department of the Security Service Vasily Vovk," - said in a statement.

On the eve of Petro Poroshenko during a meeting with heads of law enforcement agencies and institutions he noted that before the end of the day is expected from the acting head of the SBU idea of ​​dismissal served as deputy head of the SBU.

Recall, June 18, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution on the dismissal from the post Valentine Nalyvaychenko SBU head. For this decision voted 248 deputies out of 364 registered in the session hall.

Russia does not pass through the border of the international observers who are trying to get to the Donbass for the expansion of the OSCE mission. This is stated in the comments the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

"The Russian Federation once again blocked the possibility to expand the activities of the OSCE observer mission on the Russian checkpoint" Gukovo "and" Donetsk "to all the checkpoints on the section of the Ukrainian-Russian border, which borders separate regions of Donetsk and Lugansk regions," - Ukrainian diplomats say .

The Foreign Ministry explained that the decision to continue the mandate of the mission for the next three months was made on June 18 at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna.

"We believe that such a position of Russia is an eloquent testimony to the lack of willingness and desire of the Russian authorities to carry out concrete and practical steps to ensure the full implementation of the agreements Minsk, one of the signatories of which is the Russian side", - the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

Diplomats urged the Russian side to ensure that the Minsk protocol that provides for the implementation of a permanent monitoring of the Ukrainian-Russian border and verification by the OSCE.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper agreed to accelerate the process of negotiations for a Free Trade Area. It is reported by the press service of the Head of State.

The President of Ukraine thanked Stephen Harper for his visit to Ukraine on the eve of the summit of "Big Seven" held in Germany on June 7-8.

"It was very successful and symbolic visit, which showed the solidarity of Canada and the international community with Ukraine", - he stressed the head of state.

The two sides exchanged views on the results of the summit "Big Seven", where it was clearly declared support for Ukraine and the willingness to strengthen sanctions against Russia in case of further violations of the Minsk agreements.

Poroshenko informed Stephen Harper on the results of the meeting with the Panel in support of Ukraine at the level of ambassadors and diplomatic representatives established in line with the Declaration of the leaders of the "Big Seven".

The sides also discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, in particular, we agreed to accelerate the process of negotiations for a Free Trade Area. In this Poroshenko and Stephen Harper emphasized that the signing of a free trade area between Ukraine and Canada will be a positive signal to investors and businesses in both countries, as well as deepen the bilateral relations.

Stephen Harper praised the efforts of the Ukrainian government and the President in particular, on the road to reform in Ukraine. He assured readiness to assist in the mobilization of international political and economic support for Ukraine.

In early June, a group of deputies of the two committees of the Verkhovna Rada (the Anti-Corruption and legislative support of law enforcement) has completed the verification of scandalous allegations the former head of State Financial Inspection of Nicholas Gordienko.

Recall that in early spring, the official accused the Cabinet of Ministers of financial irregularities at 7.6 billion hryvnia.

From voiced information it revealed that the major losses in the State was progenitor of the Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, although his government auditors have found the claim.

Check the information came from the deputies, but they had prepared the report has not yet been published. A month ago, this document before parliament acted MP Borislav Birch, but had read only a small part.

The new Special Representative of the OSCE in a tripartite contact group to resolve the situation in the Donbass become famous Austrian diplomat Martin Saydik. About this in the air "on Channel 5," said Commissioner President of Ukraine on the peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, Irina Gerashchenko.

"Now Serbia is chairing the OSCE and that Serbia will decide on the new special representative - this will happen on 21 June. We hope that soon he will start to work, or it will happen this week, or this will happen in early July - it will decide is the OSCE, "- said Gerashchenko.

"According to our information, this is a well-known Austrian diplomat, has extensive experience in international organizations, humanitarian, he also has extensive experience in the United Nations - is Martin Saydik", - she said.

Earlier, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier confirmed that Heidi Tagliavini, Special Representative of the post of the OSCE in Ukraine will replace Austrian diplomat.

Recall Heidi Tagliavini resigned from the post of Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman.

Both the United States and the European Union believe that Western sanctions against the Russian economy have a significant impact on her, despite assurances from the Russian authorities to reverse.

This was emphasized at a briefing in Washington on Friday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby, reports "Ukrinform" .

"I have seen the statement by President Putin, but we know otherwise. We know that the price is still high for the Russian economy, and they (the sanctions. - Ed.) Will continue to have an effect, "- said a spokesman for the US State Department.

He stressed that on the eve of the American side has discussed this issue with the European one. In particular, the options for the continuation of sanctions and the possibility of introducing new restrictions, which can be applied in case of violation of international law Russia.

Recall, on the eve spokesman John Kirby said that the current worsening of the situation in the east of Ukraine and a further violation of the agreements Minsk from Moscow may lead to new sanctions against the Russian economy.

Chiefs of General Staff of Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland have agreed on cooperation with Ukraine and supporting it.

At the meeting, the military leaders of the Visegrad countries in the spa town of Stary Smokovec in the Slovak Tatra present Chief of Staff Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko, reports "Radio Liberty".

"We took part in the exercises of armies of the Visegrad Group, plan to invite experts to study in Ukraine," - said Muzhenko.

"I'm glad that part of our Ukrainian colleagues have already become a tradition," - he said at the end of the meeting the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Milan Maxim.

It is noted that the meeting of chiefs of staff of the Visegrad Four countries in Slovakia was held simultaneously with the summit of the Visegrad Group, which opened in the capital, Bratislava.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said that Russian propaganda particularly successful among the Russian-speaking population.

He told this at the Global Security Forum in Bratislava GLOBSEC transmits "Gromadska TB."

According to him, the danger for many people is obvious. "Watch Russian TV is like watching the news from another planet" - he said.

"Russia is violating laws that are respected even in the USSR. Moscow wants us to pretend that the Russian military is not in Ukraine, but on this basis is difficult to build a dialogue, but we are still talking with Russia. In the world there are many issues that need to be addressed, "- said Vershbow.

The team of "Peacemaker" continues to make public the secret documents of the General Staff of the Russian Federation devoted to planning the capture of Left-Bank Ukraine.This time they showed "Explanatory Note to the plan fire destruction of the enemy" , prepared by the Chief of Staff of the Western Military District, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Astapov and chief of operations, Major General I. Kovalenko.According to the adviser of Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko, it lists the military units and infrastructure in Ukraine, which must be destroyed by air strikes or rocket and artillery strikes.

Director of the "Situations Modeling Agency" Vitaly Bala sure that Russian President Vladimir Putin was most afraid that "we will be independent and will make independent foreign policy decisions."

According to the analyst, the conflict in the Donbass - is part of the Russian, not Ukrainian crisis.

"He (Putin - Ed.) Just wanted to keep Ukraine in its sphere of influence, that's all. He was afraid that we will be independent and will make independent foreign policy decisions. It was his greatest fear. But we have already torn off the umbilical cord, and Now I want to see how the Russians will tell the story of the country, especially during the adoption of Christianity. This is what we at the time they were created, and the "little brother" - it is just Russia. Although it turned out that no brother, no "- he said.